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A10
news
Guardian www.guardian.co.tt Tuesday, June 3, 2014
JOSHUA SURTEES
F
Continues on Page A12
June 2, 2014
June 2, 2014
June 2, 2014
June 2, 2014
June 2, 2014
25.646
2.964
1.181
170.087
126.114
10.000
10.000 $0.0882
$0.0385
0.37%
-1.79%
4.52%
0.89%
0.39%
N/A
N/A
5.39%
9.75%
4.65%
2.71%
1.94%
9.27%
5.31%
3.37%
4.14%
3.76%
8.24%
8.32%
5.21%
2.44%
2.77%
26.179
$0.8800
$0.1100
$0.0301
$0.7500
VOLUNTEERS IN TEARS
The small group of
volunteers she employs often
feel as if they are the only ones
fighting fire in this area of
northwest Trinidad. Jaramogi is
able to pay them a stipend
thanks to a government grant
from the National
Reforestation and Watershed
Rehabilitation Programme.
"If it wasn't for us the whole
ridge would have burned," a
volunteer says.
There is only one helicopter
assigned to deal with fires in
the dry season. Jaramogi says
it's not enough. In April, when
fires swept through the St
Ann's ridge for several days,
the helicopter was seldom seen
bringing out the bambi bucket
full of water.
When it did fly over, says
Curwyn Collett (a supervisor at
FACRP) it came too low and its
rotor blades spread the fire
further, making the situation
worse.
"It blew it over the top of the
ridge," he told the T&T
Guardian when we visited their
base at the foot of the
mountain.
"They tip the bucket while
they're moving and the
sprinkles of water just
evaporate in the air from the
heat, it doesn't out the fire. The
buckets only hold about two
gallons of water, that's not
enough."
The volunteers had just
finished a meeting. Some were
in tears at the lack of support
they feel they have had from
the Ministry of National
Security, the Forestry Division,
Fire Service and the Office of
Disaster Preparedness and
Management in terms of help,
funding and resources and in
terms of enforcing the laws
and prosecuting those who
started the fires, many of
which they believe were
started maliciously.
Instead it falls to the
volunteers to attempt to put
out fires in dangerous
situations, without even the
luxury of fireproof clothing or
boots.
"This kind of outfit will fry
up," says Collett pointing to his
clothes.
Also, smoke is highly toxic if
inhaled. Fire patrol workers
have fainted before. One had
his face burnt and there are
countless minor injuries.
Another worker, in her 40s, has
had a stroke.
A section of the Fondes Amandes
Ridge which was destroyed by
bush fires last month. PHOTO:
CLYDE LEWIS